[Triflusal in the prevention of vascular dementia].
BACKGROUND
Vascular dementia is the second commonest cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. The most important risk factor for this is previous cerebral vascular accident.


OBJECTIVE
To eliminate the risk factors and/or progression of this illness would be of considerable benefit to these patients. Triflusal, a platelet anti-aggregant chemically related to the salicylates, whose clinical efficacy has been shown in cardiac and cerebrovascular pathology, has been used in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia.


METHODS
An open study was done a sample of 73 patients with vascular dementia randomly distributed into two groups (control and undergoing treatment with triflusal).


RESULTS
To check the efficacy of treatment with triflusal, the percentage of variation in the scoring of the Cognitive Mini Examination was used after a clinical course of 12 months (IVP 12), considering the critical point of no efficacy to be a loss equal or greater than 10%. In the control group, 33% (8/24) and in the group treated with triflusal 8% (3/35) had a negative course which was greater than this critical point.


CONCLUSIONS
The difference in the IVP 12 between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.0375), with a statistical power of 87% (beta = 0.13). This gives triflusal a therapeutic activity which is sufficient to limit cognitive deterioration of patient with vascular dementia.
López-Pousa
S
S
Unitat de Valoració de la Memòria i les Demències, Departament de Sanitat, Generalitat de Catalunya, Hospital Santa Caterina, Girona, España.
Mercadal-Dalmau
J
J
Martí-Cuadros
A M
AM
Vilalta-Franch
J
J
Lozano-Gallego
M
M
D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012459:Salicylates / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D012459:Salicylates; C016167:triflusal
Triflusal en la prevención de la demencia vascular.